(Minneapolis, MN) March 26, 2021 - With Governor Tim Walz's announcement that all Minnesotans age 16 and older will be eligible for vaccination starting Tuesday, March 30, we have reached an important milestone in the fight against COVID-19.
Allina Health is continuing to vaccinate for impact by focusing on our patients and community members at greater risk for COVID-19, including people under age 65 with certain underlying health conditions. Patients over age 65 may also currently schedule a vaccine at Allina Health.
When we have completed invitations to schedule vaccinations for high-risk groups based on state guidance, we will begin to serve patients age 16 and older. We will continue reaching out to patients who are already on our high-risk list (Phase 1b Tier 3) in the coming weeks through email, phone and letters when it is time for them to schedule their vaccination.
“Allina Health is proud to have played a role in making this moment possible,” said John Misa, MD and chief medical officer for Allina Health Group. “We are honored to be able to provide this crucial protection to our patients and communities.”
Allina Health has a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine that we receive from the government on a weekly basis. Demand remains high and continues to exceed our capacity.
To ensure fairness, we created a list of patients with certain medical conditions, as previously defined by the state of Minnesota. Then, we used a computer to randomly select the order in which patients are contacted. We expect that it will take us a few more weeks to complete invitations to this group.
As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy, we continue to prioritize creating equitable access to vaccine for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have historically faced disparities. Allina Health has hosted several successful community vaccine events already and will continue hosting community-focused vaccine events in the future.
For additional information, please visit our COVID-19 vaccination website.
Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A nonprofit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 12 hospital campuses, 14 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services. Learn more at allinahealth.org and join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.